Longitudinal beam assembly and automobile chassis

ABSTRACT

A longitudinal beam assembly includes an integrally formed longitudinal beam and a mounting tower. The mounting tower is mounted on the longitudinal beam. The longitudinal beam is provided with a first suspension mounting portion, and the first suspension mounting portion is configured to mount a suspension lower swing arm. The mounting tower is provided with a shock absorber mounting portion and a second suspension mounting portion. The shock absorber mounting portion is configured to mount a shock absorber and the second suspension mounting portion is configured to mount a suspension upper swing arm.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of International Application No.PCT/CN2021/128622, filed on Nov. 4, 2021, the entire content of which isincorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This application relates to the technical field of automobiles, and inparticular, to a longitudinal beam assembly and an automobile chassis.

BACKGROUND

An automobile chassis typically includes various longitudinal beams,crossbeams, floor plates, and the like. The longitudinal beams are usedto support and connect various parts assemblies of the automobile, sothat the various parts assemblies are maintained in relatively correctmounting positions and carry various loads inside and outside theautomobile. The crossbeams are used to guarantee the torsional stiffnessof the chassis, withstand longitudinal loads, and support maincomponents on the automobile. The chassis must have sufficient strengthand stiffness to withstand the load of the automobile and the impactfrom the wheels.

The major parts assemblies include a suspension upper swing arm and ashock absorber, which are typically mounted on the chassis. Therefore,during manufacturing of the chassis, structures need to be reserved formounting the parts such as the suspension upper swing arm and the shockabsorber to facilitate the subsequent mounting of the parts.

However, even if the chassis is manufactured in strict accordance withmounting requirements of the parts such as the suspension upper swingarm and the shock absorber, it is still difficult to mount the partssuch as the suspension upper swing arm and the shock absorber due toprecision deviation of mounting structures reserved on the chassis,resulting in longer installation time and higher costs.

Therefore, how the difficulty in mounting the parts on the chassis isaddressed has become an urgent problem to be solved in this field.

SUMMARY

In view of the above problems, embodiments of this application provide alongitudinal beam assembly and an automobile chassis, in which asuspension upper swing arm mounting portion and a shock absorbermounting portion are integrated into and integrally formed with thelongitudinal beam. This avoids mounting errors occurring in the separatemounting of the suspension upper swing arm mounting portion and theshock absorber mounting portion to the longitudinal beam, improves theposition accuracy of the upper swing arm mounting portion and shockabsorber mounting portion relative to the longitudinal beam, simplifiesthe manufacturing process of the longitudinal beam assembly, and reducesthe manufacturing costs of the longitudinal beam assembly.

According to an aspect of the embodiments of this application, alongitudinal beam assembly is provided, including a longitudinal beamand a mounting tower that are integrally formed. The longitudinal beamis provided with a first suspension mounting portion, and the firstsuspension mounting portion is configured to mount a suspension lowerswing arm. The mounting tower is provided with a shock absorber mountingportion and a second suspension mounting portion, the shock absorbermounting portion being configured to mount a shock absorber and thesecond suspension mounting portion being configured to mount asuspension upper swing arm. The mounting tower is mounted on thelongitudinal beam.

With the foregoing solution, the first suspension mounting portion, thesecond suspension mounting portion, and the shock absorber mountingportion are all integrated on the longitudinal beam and are integrallyformed with the longitudinal beam directly or indirectly so that alongitudinal beam assembly structure becomes simpler and more compact.As compared with the related art in which each mounting portion iscombined with the longitudinal beam by welding, the longitudinal beamassembly in the embodiments of this application has a simplermanufacturing process, a shorter manufacturing time, and a lowermanufacturing cost. In addition, in the integrally formed longitudinalbeam assembly manufactured, the first suspension mounting portion, thesecond suspension mounting portion, and the shock absorber mountingportion are not subject to welding errors, and their positions are moreprecise, which reduces the difficulty of subsequent mounting of thesuspension lower swing arm, the suspension upper swing arm, and theshock absorber and improves the mounting efficiency.

In some embodiments, the mounting tower includes a top wall and twofirst support members, the shock absorber mounting portion is disposedon the top wall, and the two first support members are disposedrespectively on two sides of the top wall and connect the top wall andthe longitudinal beam.

With the foregoing solution, two first support members are used toconnect the top wall from two sides of the top wall, which makes theconnection between the top wall and the longitudinal beam more stableand capable of withstanding the loads transferred by the shock absorberand the suspension upper swing arm during use of the automobile, andsaves the manufacturing material, further reducing an overall weight ofthe longitudinal beam assembly.

In some embodiments, the two first support members are gradually movedaway from each other in a direction from the top wall to thelongitudinal beam, so as to form a triangular structure between the twofirst support members and the longitudinal beam.

With the foregoing solution, a triangular structure is formed betweenthe two first support members and the longitudinal beam. The triangularstructure is more stable, allowing the mounting tower to withstand agreater load force without deformation during use.

In some embodiments, two suspension mount seats protrude downward fromthe top wall, and the second suspension mounting portion is disposedbetween the suspension mount seat and the first support member.

With the foregoing solution, the suspension mount seat and the firstsupport member together define a position of the second suspensionmounting portion so that when mounted toward the suspension mountingportion, the suspension upper swing arm can be connected to either thefirst support member or the suspension mount seat, or to both the firstsupport member and the suspension mount seat, thus providing moremounting possibilities and more load-bearing attachment points for themounting of the suspension upper swing arm and improving stability ofthe mounting structure for the suspension upper swing arm.

In some embodiments, the second suspension mounting portion includes twosuspension upper swing arm mounting sites, each of which is disposed ona suspension mount seat and a first support member.

With the foregoing solution, when mounted, each suspension upper swingarm is connected to both the first support member and the suspensionmount seat, and the suspension upper swing arm is more firmly mounted.The loads withstood by the suspension upper swing arm during the use ofthe automobile are transferred to the two suspension upper swing armmounting sites and then transferred to the suspension mount seat and thefirst support member through the two suspension upper swing arm mountingsites. The suspension mount seat and the first support member areintegrally formed with the longitudinal beam directly or indirectly, sothe suspension mount seat and the first support member can bothwithstand relatively large forces without fracture damage, andtherefore, the suspension upper swing arm can withstand larger loadforces.

In some embodiments, the mounting tower further includes two secondsupport members. The two second support members are disposed between thetop wall and the longitudinal beam, and the two second support membersare mounted between the two first support members.

With the foregoing solution, the two second support members and the twofirst support members are jointly supported between the top wall and thelongitudinal beam, which makes the structure of the mounting tower morestable and less prone to overturning when bearing the impact from theshock absorber and the suspension upper swing arm.

In some embodiments, the suspension mount seat is connected to thesecond support member.

With the foregoing solution, the second support member and thesuspension mount seat jointly withstand the force from the suspensionupper swing arm mounting site on the suspension mount seat during theuse of the automobile, making the suspension mounting portion morereliable.

In some embodiments, the first support member is provided with areinforcing portion, and the second suspension mounting portion isdisposed between the suspension mount seat and the reinforcing portion.

With the foregoing solution, the strength of the first support member atwhich the reinforcing portion is located is increased, which makes thesecond suspension mounting portion capable of withstanding a relativelylarge load force after the suspension upper swing arm is mounted on thesecond suspension mounting portion, and the suspension upper swing armmounting site disposed on the first support member is not damaged.

In some embodiments, the mounting tower further includes a reinforcingstructure in a shape of “X”, and the reinforcing structure has fourattachment ends, two of the attachment ends being attached to the topwall and the other two of the attachment ends being attached to thelongitudinal beam.

With the foregoing solution, the reinforcing structure is supportedbetween the top wall and the longitudinal beam, and the special shape ofthe reinforcing structure makes a triangular structure between thereinforcing structure and the top wall. A triangular structure alsoformed between the reinforcing structure and the longitudinal beam makesthe whole structure of the mounting tower more stable.

In some embodiments, the attachment ends attached to the top wall areattached at intersections between the top wall and the first supportmember or the second support member, and the two attachment endsattached to the longitudinal beam are attached at intersections betweenthe longitudinal beam and the first support member or the second supportmember.

With the foregoing solution, the strength at the intersection of the twocomponents tends to be higher. Therefore, in this embodiment, theconnection positions of the reinforcing structure are defined so thattwo of the attachment ends of the reinforcing structure are attached atpositions with higher strength on the top wall and the other two of theattachment ends are attached at positions with higher strength on thelongitudinal beam. In this way, the positions with higher strength onthe top wall and the positions with higher strength on the longitudinalbeam can directly transfer forces between them, allowing the mountingtower to withstand greater loads while maintaining structural stability.

In some embodiments, the first support member and/or the second supportmember are integrally formed with the top wall.

With the foregoing solution, the mounting tower itself is moreintegrated and an additional step of connecting the top wall to thefirst support member or the second support member is omitted, so thatthe manufacturing process of the mounting tower is simplified, and themanufacturing precision is higher.

In some embodiments, the longitudinal beam is also provided with astabilizer bar mount seat configured to mount a transverse stabilizerbar.

With the foregoing solution, the transverse stabilizer bar can bemounted directly through a stabilizer bar mount seat provided on thelongitudinal beam during mounting without using additional components toconnect to the transverse stabilizer bar and the longitudinal beamassembly separately, simplifying the steps for mounting the transversestabilizer bar. In addition, the stabilizer bar mount seat beingprovided on the longitudinal beam is conducive to quick mounting of thetransverse stabilizer bar and the longitudinal beam because thelongitudinal beam is integrally formed and the position precision of thestabilizer bar mount seat is also higher.

In some embodiments, the longitudinal beam is also provided with a motormount seat configured to mount a drive motor.

With the foregoing solution, the drive motor is mounted on thelongitudinal beam, and the longitudinal beam is closer to the drivingwheels of the automobile so that power transmission of the drive motoris more efficient.

According to another aspect of the embodiments of this application,there is provided an automobile chassis including the longitudinal beamassembly according to the first aspect, a drive apparatus, and a batterycompartment, where the drive apparatus is configured to provide a driveforce for the automobile; the battery compartment includes a batterycompartment frame, the battery compartment frame being configured toaccommodate a battery and the battery being used to provide power to thedrive apparatus; and the longitudinal beam assembly is detachablyconnected to the battery compartment frame.

With the foregoing solution, both the drive apparatus and the batterycompartment are located on the automobile chassis. The battery installedin the battery compartment can supply power to the drive apparatus inclose proximity and provide power to the drive apparatus efficiently.

In some embodiments, the drive apparatus is mounted on the longitudinalbeam assembly.

With the foregoing solution, the battery is located in the batterycompartment that is mounted on the longitudinal beam assembly, the driveapparatus is mounted on the longitudinal beam assembly and the batterycompartment frame is directly connected to the longitudinal beamassembly, which eliminates structures of the original chassis for thecab such as a crossbeam and a longitudinal beam, significantly reducesthe number of parts of the automobile, improves the space utilization ofthe chassis, helps the battery compartment to carry more batteries, andfurther improves the endurance performance of the automobile.

In the embodiments of this application, the first suspension mountingportion, the second suspension mounting portion, and the shock absorbermounting portion are all integrated in the longitudinal beam assemblyand are integrally formed with the longitudinal beam assembly directlyor indirectly so that a longitudinal beam assembly structure becomessimpler and more compact, which reduces the number of parts, shortensmanufacturing time, and reduces manufacturing costs. As compared withthe related art in which each mounting portion is combined with thelongitudinal beam by welding, the longitudinal beam assembly in theembodiments of this application has a simpler manufacturing process, ashorter manufacturing time, and a lower manufacturing cost. In addition,in the integrally formed longitudinal beam assembly manufactured, thefirst suspension mounting portion, the second suspension mountingportion, and the shock absorber mounting portion are not subject towelding errors, and their positions are more precise, which reduces thedifficulty of subsequent mounting of the suspension lower swing arm, thesuspension upper swing arm, and the shock absorber and improves themounting efficiency.

The foregoing description is merely an overview of the technicalsolutions in the embodiments of this application. In order to betterunderstand the technical means in the embodiments of this application,to achieve implementation according to content of the specification, andto make the above and other objects, features and advantages in theembodiments of this application more obvious and easy to understand, thefollowing describes specific embodiments of this application.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

To describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of thisapplication more clearly, the following briefly describes theaccompanying drawings required for describing the embodiments.Apparently, the accompanying drawings in the following description showmerely some embodiments of this application, and persons of ordinaryskill in the art may still derive other drawings from these accompanyingdrawings without creative efforts.

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a longitudinal beam assemblyaccording to an embodiment of this application.

FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram with a shock absorber tower, asuspension lower swing arm, and a suspension upper swing arm all mountedon the longitudinal beam assembly according to an embodiment of thisapplication.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of an enlarged structure of part A in FIG.1 .

FIG. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a longitudinal beam assemblyaccording to another embodiment of this application.

FIG. 5 is a schematic structural diagram with a transverse stabilizerbar mounted on the longitudinal beam assembly according to an embodimentof this application.

FIG. 6 is a schematic structural diagram of a longitudinal beam assemblyaccording to yet another embodiment of this application.

FIG. 7 is a schematic structural diagram of an automobile chassisaccording to an embodiment of this application.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   -   10. longitudinal beam; 101. first suspension mounting portion;        102. stabilizer bar mount seat; 103. motor mount seat; 20.        mounting tower; 201. shock absorber mounting portion; 202.        second suspension mounting portion; 203. top wall; 204. first        support member; 205. suspension mount seat; 2051. suspension        upper swing arm mounting site; 206. second support member; 207.        reinforcing portion; 208. reinforcing structure; 2081.        attachment end; 30. suspension lower swing arm; 40. suspension        upper swing arm; 50. shock absorber; 60. transverse stabilizer        bar; 70. crossbeam; 80. anti-collision beam; 90. battery        compartment frame; and 100. drive apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of theembodiments of this application clearer, the following clearly andcompletely describes the technical solutions in the embodiments of thisapplication with reference to the accompanying drawings in theembodiments of this application. Apparently, the described embodimentsare some but not all embodiments of this application. All otherembodiments obtained by persons of ordinary skill in the art based onthe embodiments of this application without creative efforts shall fallwithin the protection scope of this application.

Unless otherwise defined, meanings of all technical and scientific termsused in this specification are the same as those commonly understood bypersons skilled in the art of this application. The terms used in thisspecification of this application are merely intended to describespecific embodiments, but not to limit this application.

The terms “comprise”, “include”, and any variants thereof in thedescriptions of the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings ofthis application are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. Theword “a” or “an” does not exclude existence of more than one.

In this specification, reference to “embodiment” means that specificfeatures, structures or characteristics described with reference to theembodiment may be incorporated in at least one embodiment of thisapplication. The word “embodiment” appearing in various places in thespecification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or anindependent or alternative embodiment that is exclusive of otherembodiments. It is explicitly or implicitly understood by personsskilled in the art that the embodiments described herein may be combinedwith other embodiments.

The term “and/or” in this specification is only an associativerelationship for describing associated objects, indicating that threerelationships may exist. For example, A and/or B may indicate threescenarios: A alone; A and B; and B alone. In addition, the character “/”in this specification generally indicates an “or” relationship betweencontextually associated objects.

The orientation terms appearing in the following description all referto the orientations as shown in the drawings and do not limit thespecific structure of the longitudinal beam assembly or the automobilechassis in this application. For example, in the descriptions of thisapplication, the orientations or positional relationships indicated bythe terms “center”, “longitudinal”, “transverse”, “length”, “width”,“thickness”, “upper”, “lower”, “front”, “rear”, “left”, “right”,“vertical”, “horizontal”, “top”, “bottom”, “inside”, “outside”,“clockwise”, “counterclockwise”, “axial”, “radial”, “circumferential”,and the like are based on the orientations or positional relationshipsas shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are merely for theease and brevity of descriptions of this application rather thanindicating or implying that the apparatuses or components mentioned musthave specific orientations or must be constructed and manipulatedaccording to specific orientations, and therefore shall not be construedas any limitations on this application.

In addition, expressions such as the direction X, the direction Y, andthe direction Z that are used to describe indication directions ofoperations and constructions of various members of the longitudinal beamassembly or the automobile chassis in the embodiments are relativerather than absolute. Although these indications are appropriate whenthe members of the battery are located at the positions shown in thefigures, these directions shall be interpreted differently when thepositions change, to reflect the changes.

In addition, in the specification, claims, or accompanying drawings ofthis application, the terms “first”, “second”, and the like are intendedto distinguish between different objects rather than to indicate aparticular order, and can explicitly or implicitly include one or morefeatures.

In the descriptions of this application, unless otherwise specified, theterm “a plurality of” means more than two (inclusive). Similarly, “aplurality of groups” means more than two (inclusive) groups.

In the descriptions of this application, it should be noted that, unlessotherwise specified and defined explicitly, the terms “installed”,“connected”, and “connection” should be understood broadly. For example,“connected” or “connection” of a mechanical structure may indicatephysical connection. For example, the physical connection may be fixedconnection, for example, fixed connection by using a fixing member suchas a screw, a bolt, or other fixing members; or the physical connectionmay be detachable connection, for example, connection by mutual clampingor clamping; or the physical connection may be integral connection, forexample, connection by welding, bonding, or integral forming.“Connected” or “connection” of a circuit structure may indicate physicalconnection, and may also indicate electrical connection or signalconnection, for example, may be direct connection, that is, the physicalconnection, may be indirect connection by using at least one element inbetween as long as circuit communication is implemented, and may also becommunication between two elements; and the signal connection may besignal connection by using a circuit, and may also be signal connectionby using a medium, such as a radio wave. Persons of ordinary skill inthe art can understand specific meanings of these terms in thisapplication as appropriate to specific situations.

An automobile chassis generally includes longitudinal beams andcrossbeams. The longitudinal beams are used to support and connectvarious parts assemblies of the automobile, so that the various partsassemblies are maintained in relatively correct mounting positions andcarry various loads inside and outside the automobile. The crossbeamsare used to guarantee the torsional stiffness of the chassis, withstandlongitudinal loads, and support main components on the automobile. Thechassis must have sufficient strength and stiffness to withstand theload of the automobile and the impact from the wheels.

The major parts assemblies include a suspension upper swing arm and ashock absorber, which are typically mounted on the chassis. Therefore,the chassis needs to be manufactured with a structure reserved formounting the parts such as the suspension upper swing arm and the shockabsorber to facilitate the mounting of subsequent parts.

However, even if the chassis is manufactured in strict accordance withmounting requirements of the parts such as the suspension upper swingarm and the shock absorber, it is still difficult to mount the partssuch as the suspension upper swing arm and the shock absorber due toprecision deviation of mounting structures reserved on the chassis,resulting in longer installation time and higher costs.

The inventors found through research that this is due to the fact thatmost of the longitudinal beams of current automobile models on themarket are made of multiple parts welded together, and correspondinglydifferent molds need to be developed for different parts to cast thecorresponding parts. Furthermore, because the suspension upper swingarm, shock absorber, and the like of the automobile are mounted ondifferent parts, and deviations in position and shape inevitably existbetween different parts during welding, resulting in difficulty inmounting the suspension upper swing arm, shock absorber, and the like,and accordingly, the costs are further increased.

In addition, due to existence of a large number of welded joints andweld seams in the chassis after welding, the structural safety andreliability of the automobile chassis are also seriously reduced.

In view of this, an embodiment of this application provides alongitudinal beam assembly, in which a suspension upper swing armmounting portion and a shock absorber mounting portion are integratedinto and integrally formed with the longitudinal beam, which avoidsmounting errors occurring in the separate mounting of the suspensionupper swing arm mounting portion and the shock absorber mounting portionto the longitudinal beam, improves the position accuracy of the upperswing arm mounting portion and shock absorber mounting portion relativeto the longitudinal beam, simplifies the manufacturing process of thelongitudinal beam assembly, and reduces the manufacturing costs of thelongitudinal beam assembly. Moreover, the structural safety andreliability of the longitudinal beam assembly are also higher.

FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a longitudinal beam assemblyaccording to an embodiment of this application, and FIG. 2 is aschematic structural diagram with a shock absorber tower, a suspensionlower swing arm 30, and a suspension upper swing arm 40 all mounted onthe longitudinal beam assembly. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , thelongitudinal beam assembly provided in this embodiment of thisapplication includes a longitudinal beam 10 and a mounting tower 20. Thelongitudinal beam 10 is provided with a first suspension mountingportion 101, and the first suspension mounting portion 101 is configuredto mount the suspension lower swing arm 30. The mounting tower 20 isprovided with a shock absorber mounting portion 201 and a secondsuspension mounting portion 202, the shock absorber mounting portion 201being configured to mount a shock absorber 50 and the second suspensionmounting portion 202 being configured to mount a suspension upper swingarm 40. The mounting tower 20 is mounted on the longitudinal beam 10.

The material of the longitudinal beam 10 is steel or aluminum alloy. Thelongitudinal beam 10 may be straight or made curved in plane or space. Across section of the longitudinal beam 10 may be a uniform ornon-uniform cross section, and cross-sectional shapes thereof atdifferent positions may be the same or different. For example, sectionalshapes at different positions of the longitudinal beam 10 are all agroove type with one side open. In addition, the longitudinal beam 10may be of the box type, with internal partitions to connect side wallsin any different directions to strengthen the longitudinal beam 10.

The longitudinal beam 10 itself is integrally formed, and thelongitudinal beam 10 and the mounting tower 20 are also integrallyformed. For example, the longitudinal beam 10 and the mounting tower 20are integrally formed by a casting process.

The mounting tower 20 is a structure protruding above the longitudinalbeam 10, with no special provisions on its structure and shape. However,because the shock absorber 50 and the suspension upper swing arm 40 needto be mounted on the mounting tower 20, and the shock absorber 50 andthe suspension upper swing arm 40 are important parts for connecting thebody and chassis of the automobile, the mounting tower 20 needs towithstand large transverse loads, longitudinal loads, and torsionalforces. These stresses will eventually be transferred to the mountingtower 20 through the shock absorber 50 and the suspension upper swingarm 40 and then to the longitudinal beam 10. Therefore, the mountingtower 20 needs to have sufficient strength and stiffness to withstandthese loads.

Because the shock absorber mounting portion 201 and the secondsuspension mounting portion 202 need to be provided on the mountingtower 20, space between the mounting tower 20 and the longitudinal beam10 needs to be reserved for provision of the suspension components suchas the shock absorber 50. Therefore, the mounting tower 20 can beprovided in the form of a side opening, or the mounting tower 20 is inthe form of a shell with an accommodating cavity inside to accommodatethe shock absorber 50 and other suspension components connected to thesuspension upper swing arm 40.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the shock absorber mounting portion 201 may be amounting hole, a mount seat, or a component capable of cooperating withthe shock absorber 50 to put the shock absorber 50 therein, and thecomponent enables connection of the shock absorber 50 to the mountingtower 20. The shock absorber mounting portion 201 can be disposed in theupper, middle, or lower part of the mounting tower 20, depending on theheight of the mounting tower 20 and the height and structure of theshock absorber 50.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the second suspension mounting portion 202 may alsobe a mounting hole, a mount seat, or a structure capable of cooperatingwith the suspension upper swing arm 40 to put the suspension upper swingarm 40 therein, and the suspension upper swing arm 40 can be connectedto the mounting tower 20 within the structure. The second suspensionmounting portions 202 are generally provided in pairs. To enable thesecond suspension mounting portion 202 to resist the load transferred bythe suspension upper swing arm 40 without damage or failure, the secondsuspension mounting portion 202 is generally disposed on the mountingtower 20 at a position with greater strength or thickness.

The first suspension mounting portion 101 may be provided in pairs orindividually on the longitudinal beam 10, as long as the number of thefirst suspension mounting portions 101 corresponds to the number ofsuspension lower swing arms 30 of a designed chassis, and the firstsuspension mounting portion 101 may be disposed on the upper part, thelower part, or a side of the longitudinal beam 10. It should be notedthat after the suspension lower swing arm 30 is mounted to the firstsuspension mounting portion 101, and the suspension upper swing arm 40is mounted on the second suspension mounting portion 202, it is neededto ensure that the suspension upper swing arm 40 and the suspensionlower swing arm 30 are facing a same side of the longitudinal beam 10.

With the foregoing solution, the first suspension mounting portion 101,the second suspension mounting portion 202, and the shock absorbermounting portion 201 are all integrated on the longitudinal beam 10 andare integrally formed with the longitudinal beam 10 directly orindirectly so that a longitudinal beam assembly structure becomessimpler and more compact. As compared with the related art in which eachmounting portion is combined with the longitudinal beam 10 by welding,the longitudinal beam assembly in the embodiments of this applicationhas a simpler manufacturing process, a shorter manufacturing time, and alower manufacturing cost. In addition, in the integrally formedlongitudinal beam assembly manufactured, the first suspension mountingportion 101, the second suspension mounting portion 202, and the shockabsorber mounting portion 201 are not subject to welding errors, andtheir positions are more precise, which reduces the difficulty ofsubsequent mounting of the suspension lower swing arm 30, the suspensionupper swing arm 40, and the shock absorber 50 and improves the mountingefficiency. In addition, the structural safety and reliability of theautomobile chassis are also improved due to fewer welded joints and weldseams in the longitudinal beam assembly.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , In some embodiments, the mounting tower20 includes a top wall 203 and two first support members 204, the shockabsorber mounting portion 201 is disposed on the top wall 203, and thetwo first support members 204 are disposed respectively on two sides ofthe top wall 203 and connect the top wall 203 and the longitudinal beam10.

Because the first support member 204 is configured to connect the topwall 203 and the longitudinal beam 10, in terms of the first supportmember 204, there is a relatively large distance between the top wall203 and the longitudinal beam 10. The top wall 203 can be flat-plateshaped, square, or other shaped structure, and in order to improve thestrength of the top wall 203, the top wall 203 can be made thicker, or areinforcing part can be made on the top wall 203, for example, a part ofthe top wall 203 is thickened, or an integrally formed reinforcing ribis provided on the top wall 203, so as to increase the strength of thetop wall 203.

The first support member 204 may be disposed on two sides of the topwall 203 in a length direction of the longitudinal beam 10, or on twosides of a width direction of the longitudinal beam 10. This is notlimited in this embodiment of this application. A cross-sectional shapeof the first support member 204 in a direction perpendicular to its ownlength may be rectangular, triangular, circular, or the like. Inaddition, the cross-sectional shape of the first support member 204 inthe direction perpendicular to its own length may be constant orvariable. The first support member 204 connects the top wall 203 and thelongitudinal beam from only two sides of the top wall 203 so that thereis a space between a central lower part of the top wall 203 and thelongitudinal beam 10, and at least part of the shock absorber 50 can belocated in this space when the shock absorber 50 is mounted on the topwall 203.

In some embodiments, the shock absorber mounting portion 201 may be aconnection hole for a bolt to run through for threaded connection withone end of the shock absorber 50. Certainly, the shock absorber mountingportion 201 may be of other construction as long as it is capable ofconnecting the shock absorber 50 to the top wall 203.

With the foregoing solution, two first support members 204 are used toconnect the top wall 203 from two sides of the top wall 203, which makesthe connection between the top wall 203 and the longitudinal beam 10more stable and capable of withstanding the loads transferred by theshock absorber 50 and the suspension upper swing arm 40 during use ofthe automobile, and saves the manufacturing material, further reducingan overall weight of the longitudinal beam assembly.

Because loads withstood by the shock absorber 50 and the suspensionupper swing arm 40 need to be transferred to the longitudinal beam 10through the first support member 204, in some embodiments, to increasethe strength of the first support member 204, the first support member204 is provided with a protruding reinforcing rib or reinforcing groovein the length direction so that the first support member 204 hasrelatively high tensile and bending strength to prevent the firstsupport member 204 from being deformed due to a relatively large loadwhen the automobile is running.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , in some embodiments, the two firstsupport members 204 are gradually moved away from each other in adirection from the top wall 203 to the longitudinal beam 10, so as toform a triangular structure between the two first support members 204and the longitudinal beam 10.

With the foregoing solution, a triangular structure is formed betweenthe two first support members 204 and the longitudinal beam 10. Thetriangular structure is more stable, allowing the mounting tower 20 towithstand a greater load force without deformation during use. Inaddition, such an arrangement also allows a larger space between the twofirst support members 204, thereby helping suspension components such asthe shock absorber 50 and the suspension upper swing arm 40 to movewithin the space.

As shown in FIG. 1 , in some embodiments, two suspension mount seats 205protrude downward from the top wall 203, and the second suspensionmounting portion 202 is disposed between the suspension mount seat 205and the first support member 204.

The suspension mount seat 205 and the first support member 204 togetherdefine a position of the second suspension mounting portion 202 so thatwhen mounted toward the suspension mounting portion, the suspensionupper swing arm 40 can be connected to either the first support member204 or the suspension mount seat 205, or to both the first supportmember 204 and the suspension mount seat 205. This provides moremounting possibilities and more load-bearing attachment points for themounting of the suspension upper swing arm 40 and improves stability ofthe mounting structure for the suspension upper swing arm 40.

The suspension mount seat 205 is a part protruding from the lowersurface of the top wall 203. To increase the load capacity of thesuspension mount seat 205, in some embodiments, the horizontal crosssection of the suspension mount seat 205 can be made to graduallyincrease from the bottom to the top, which means that the thickness orwidth of the suspension mount seat 205 gradually increases in adirection from a position on the suspension mount seat away from the topwall 203 to a position on the suspension mount seat close to the topwall 203, and such an arrangement makes an area of a joint between thesuspension mount seat 205 and the top wall 203 larger, so that the topwall 203 is more firmly joined, and when the load force withstood by thesuspension upper swing arm 40 is transferred to the top wall 203 throughthe suspension mount seat 205, the suspension mount seat 205 is notprone to fracture due to a relatively large load.

As shown in FIG. 3 , in some embodiments, the second suspension mountingportion 202 includes two suspension upper swing arm mounting sites 2051,each suspension upper swing arm mounting site 2051 being disposed on onesuspension mount seat 205 and one first support member 204.

The suspension upper swing arm mounting sites 2051 can be understood tobe specific mounting locations for the suspension upper swing arm 40,and the two suspension upper swing arm mounting sites 2051 canrespectively have one suspension upper swing arm 40 mounted.

Each suspension upper swing arm mounting site 2051 is disposed on onesuspension mount seat 205 and one first support member 204, which meansthat each suspension upper swing arm mounting site 2051 has one portiondisposed on the suspension mount seat 205 and another portion disposedon the first support member 204, and the suspension mount seats 205 andthe first support members 204 on which the two different suspensionupper swing arm mounting sites 2051 are located are different suspensionmount seats 205 and first support members 204.

With the foregoing solution, when mounted, each suspension upper swingarm 40 is connected to both the first support member 204 and thesuspension mount seat 205, and the suspension upper swing arm 40 is morefirmly mounted. The loads carried by the suspension upper swing arm 40during the use of the automobile are transferred to the two suspensionupper swing arm mounting sites 2051, and then transferred to thesuspension mount seat 205 and the first support member 204 through thetwo suspension upper swing arm mounting sites 2051. The suspension mountseat 205 and the first support member 204 are integrally formed with thelongitudinal beam 10 directly or indirectly, so the suspension mountseat 205 and the first support member 204 can both withstand largerforces without fracture damage, and thus, the suspension upper swing arm40 can withstand larger load forces.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , in some embodiments, the mounting tower20 also includes two second support members 206. The two second supportmembers 206 are disposed between the top wall 203 and the longitudinalbeam 10, and the two second support members 206 are mounted between thetwo first support members 204.

The second support members 206 serve the same or similar purpose as thefirst support members 204 to form a support and connection between thetop wall 203 and the longitudinal beam 10 to transfer the forcesreceived by the top wall 203 from the automobile body to thelongitudinal beam 10. Because the two second support members 206 aremounted between the two first support members 204, most of the forceswithstood by the two second support members 206 are longitudinal forcesfrom the top wall 203 to the longitudinal beam 10, while the two firstsupport members 204 are capable of withstanding a relatively largetransverse force. The second support member 206 may be of any shape, andin addition, the shapes of the second support member 206 and the firstsupport member 204 may be the same or different. This is not limited inthis embodiment of this application.

The two second support members 206 and the two first support members 204are jointly supported between the top wall 203 and the longitudinal beam10, which makes the structure of the mounting tower 20 more stable andless prone to overturning when bearing the impact from the shockabsorber 50 and the suspension upper swing arm 40.

In some embodiments, the suspension mount seat 205 is connected to thesecond support member 206.

The suspension mount seat 205 and the second support member 206 may beintegrally formed or may be connected to each other by using amechanical member, for example, a bolted joint and pin shaft connection.

The connection between the suspension mount seat 205 and the secondsupport member 206 is such that a mechanical connection is establishedbetween the suspension mount seat 205 and the second support member 206.The second support member 206 and the suspension mount seat 205 canjointly withstand the force from the suspension upper swing arm mountingsite 2051 on the suspension mount seat 205 during the use of theautomobile, making the structural strength and structural reliability ofthe suspension mounting portion stronger.

As shown in FIG. 3 , in some embodiments, the first support member 204is provided with a reinforcing portion 207, and the second suspensionmounting portion 202 is disposed between the suspension mount seat 205and the reinforcing portion 207.

With the foregoing solution, a cross-sectional size of the first supportmember 204 on which the reinforcing portion 207 is located is increased,and therefore the strength of the first support member 204 is alsoincreased, which makes the second suspension mounting portion 202capable of withstanding a relatively large load force after thesuspension upper swing arm 40 is mounted on the second suspensionmounting portion 202, and the suspension upper swing arm mounting site2051 disposed on the first support member 204 is not easily damaged.

As shown in FIG. 4 , in some embodiments, the mounting tower 20 alsoincludes a reinforcing structure 208 in a shape of “X”, and thereinforcing structure 208 has four attachment ends 2081, two of theattachment ends 2081 are attached to the top wall 203 and the other twoof the attachment ends 2081 are attached to the longitudinal beam 10.

The reinforcing structure 208 may be an integrally formed “X” shape oran assembled “X” shape. The reinforcing structure 208 is made of a metalmaterial with greater strength and hardness such as steel or aluminumalloy, and the plane on which the reinforcing structure 208 is locatedmay be parallel to the length direction of the longitudinal beam 10 orhave an angle with the length direction of the longitudinal beam 10.This is not limited in this embodiment of this application.

The reinforcing structure 208 is supported between the top wall 203 andthe longitudinal beam 10, and the special shape of the reinforcingstructure 208 makes a triangular structure between the reinforcingstructure 208 and the top wall 203, and a triangular structure is alsoformed between the reinforcing structure 208 and the longitudinal beam10. In this way, a bearing capacity of the mounting tower 20 forlongitudinal load is enhanced and its bearing capacity for transversetorsion force is also enhanced, so that the whole structure of themounting tower 20 is more stable.

As shown in FIG. 4 , in some embodiments, the attachment ends 2081attached to the top wall 203 are attached at intersections between thetop wall 203 and the first support member 204 or the second supportmember 206, and the two attachment ends 2081 attached to thelongitudinal beam 10 are attached at intersections between thelongitudinal beam 10 and the first support member 204 or the secondsupport member 206.

With the foregoing solution, the strength at the intersection of the twocomponents tends to be higher. Therefore, in this embodiment, theconnection positions of the reinforcing structure 208 are defined sothat two of the attachment ends 2081 of the reinforcing structure 208are attached at positions with higher strength on the top wall 203 andthe other two of the attachment ends 2081 are attached at positions withhigher strength on the longitudinal beam 10. In this way, the positionswith higher strength on the top wall 203 and the positions with higherstrength on the longitudinal beam 10 can directly transfer forcesbetween them, allowing the mounting tower 20 to withstand greater loadswhile maintaining structural stability.

In some embodiments, the first support member 204 and/or the secondsupport member 206 are integrally formed with the top wall 203.

The above technical solution can be specifically that the first supportmember 204 is integrally formed with the top wall 203, the secondsupport member 206 is integrally formed with the top wall 203, or boththe first support member 204 and the second support member 206 areintegrally formed with the top wall 203.

With the foregoing solution, the mounting tower 20 itself is moreintegrated and an additional step of connecting the top wall 203 to thefirst support member 204 or the second support member 206 is omitted, sothat the manufacturing process of the mounting tower 20 is simplified,and the manufacturing precision is higher.

As shown in FIG. 5 , in some embodiments, the longitudinal beam 10 isalso provided with a stabilizer bar mount seat 102 configured to mount atransverse stabilizer bar 60.

The transverse stabilizer bar can be mounted directly through astabilizer bar mount seat 102 provided on the longitudinal beam 10during mounting without using additional components to connect to thetransverse stabilizer bar 60 and the longitudinal beam assemblyseparately, simplifying the steps for mounting the transverse stabilizerbar 60. In addition, the stabilizer bar mount seat 102 being provided onthe longitudinal beam 10 is conducive to quick mounting of thetransverse stabilizer bar and the longitudinal beam 10 because thelongitudinal beam 10 is integrally formed and the position precision ofthe stabilizer bar mount seat 102 is also higher.

As shown in FIG. 6 , in some embodiments, the longitudinal beam 10 isalso provided with a motor mount seat 103 configured to mount a drivemotor.

The motor mount seat 103 has a surface that mates with at least one faceof the motor, and the surface is provided with a hole for connecting themotor. The hole is used for a bolt to pass through to attach the drivemotor to the motor mount seat 103.

With the foregoing solution, the drive motor is mounted on thelongitudinal beam 10 through the motor mount seat 103, and thelongitudinal beam 10 is closer to the driving wheels of the automobileso that power transmission of the drive motor is more efficient. Inaddition, because a distance between the drive motor and the wheels ofthe automobile is shorter, mechanical transmission members between thedrive motor and the wheels are reduced, allowing for a simplified drivesystem structure of the automobile and a lighter mass of the automobile.

As shown in FIG. 7 , according to another aspect of the embodiment ofthis application, an automobile chassis is provided. The automobilechassis includes a drive apparatus 100 and a battery compartment, wherethe drive apparatus 100 is configured to provide a drive force for theautomobile; the battery compartment includes a battery compartment frame90, the battery compartment frame 90 being configured to accommodate abattery and the battery being used to provide power to the driveapparatus 100; and the longitudinal beam assembly is detachablyconnected to the battery compartment frame 90.

The drive apparatus 100 may be a motor, a drive motor, and the like. Thedrive apparatus 100 may be connected to the longitudinal beam. Forexample, the drive apparatus 100 is attached to the motor mount seat 103on the longitudinal beam 10.

The battery compartment frame 90 may be a square frame or otherpolygonal frame, and may include a plurality of transverse structuralmembers and longitudinal structural members which form a space foraccommodating the battery. The frame structure can reduce the weight ofthe battery compartment and facilitate heat dissipation of the battery.The battery can be in the form of a plurality of battery cells or aplurality of battery modules. A plurality of intermediate transversemembers and/or intermediate longitudinal members can also be providedinside the battery compartment frame 90 to form a plurality of separatecompartments. The battery is mounted in and secured to the batterycompartment frame 90, and the battery, by providing power to the driveapparatus 100, causes the drive apparatus 100 to provide a drive forcefor the automobile. The drive force can be used to satisfy a workingelectricity need during start, navigation, running, and the like of theautomobile.

With the foregoing solution, both the drive apparatus 100 and thebattery compartment are located on the automobile chassis. The batteryinstalled in the battery compartment 90 can supply power to the driveapparatus 100 in close proximity and provide power to the driveapparatus 100 efficiently.

The battery compartment frame 90 is directly connected to thelongitudinal beam assembly, which eliminates structures of the originalchassis for the cab such as a crossbeam and a longitudinal beam,significantly reduces the number of parts of the automobile, improvesthe space utilization of the chassis, facilitates the batterycompartment to carry more batteries, and further improves the enduranceperformance of the automobile.

In some embodiments, the battery is mounted on the transverse structuralmember of the battery compartment frame 90 and is detachably connectedto the transverse structural member by a structure such as a bolt.

As shown in FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, the drive apparatus 100 ismounted on the longitudinal beam assembly.

With the foregoing solution, the battery is located in the batterycompartment 90. The battery compartment 90 is mounted on thelongitudinal beam assembly, and the drive apparatus 100 is also mountedon the longitudinal beam assembly, so that the battery can maintain arelatively fixed position relationship with the drive apparatus 100, soas to stably provide power to the drive apparatus 100.

In some embodiments, the drive apparatus is a motor, and the motor ismounted directly on the motor mount seat 103 of the longitudinal beam 10of the longitudinal beam assembly.

As shown in FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, the automobile chassisincludes two longitudinal beam assemblies, and the longitudinal beams 10of the two longitudinal beam assemblies are provided at the bottom ofthe automobile body parallel to each other along a length of theautomobile body. The two longitudinal beams 10 are connected to eachother by a crossbeam 70, and there may be one or more crossbeams 70. Thecrossbeam 70 may also be made of steel or aluminum alloy with excellentstiffness and strength properties, and the crossbeam 70 and thelongitudinal beams 10 may be fixed in a welding or bolted joint manner.

The crossbeam 70 connects the two longitudinal beam assemblies into awhole. When the automobile is turning or the load is uneven on two sidesof the automobile, or when the automobile is subjected to an impactforce on one side from the wheels, stresses on the two longitudinal beamassemblies are different, and the crossbeam 70 can balance the stresseson the two longitudinal beam assemblies in this process, so that the twolongitudinal beam assemblies are subjected to the stress synchronously,thereby ensuring the torsional stiffness of the automobile chassis. Inaddition, the crossbeam 70 can also be used to bear certain longitudinalloads, as well as to support the main components of the automobile.

As shown in FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, the automobile also includesan anti-collision beam 80. The anti-collision beam 80 is connected tothe longitudinal beams 10 of the two longitudinal beam assemblies in awelding or bolted joint manner. When the automobile has a frontalcollision, the anti-collision beam 80 first bears the collision forceand absorbs part of the collision energy, and the remaining collisionenergy is transmitted to the longitudinal beam and the automobile body.Thus, the anti-collision beam 80 has the functions of absorbing thecollision energy, reducing damage of the collision force to theautomobile longitudinal beams, protecting the main structure of theautomobile body, and improving the safety performance of the automobile.

As shown in FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, the battery compartment frame90 may be attached to an end of the longitudinal beam 10, the batterycompartment frame 90 may alternatively be attached between the twolongitudinal beams 10 of the two longitudinal beam assemblies, or thebattery compartment frame 90 may alternatively be fixed to the crossbeam70. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram only illustrating the batterycompartment frame 90 attached to the ends of the two longitudinal beams10, from which persons skilled in the art may speculate or reasonablyimagine other ways of connecting the battery compartment frame 90 to thelongitudinal beam assembly. Details are not described herein in thisembodiment of this application.

In conclusion, in the embodiments of this application, the firstsuspension mounting portion 101, the second suspension mounting portion202, and the shock absorber mounting portion 201 are all integrated onthe longitudinal beam 10 and are integrally formed with the longitudinalbeam 10 directly or indirectly so that a longitudinal beam assemblystructure becomes simpler and more compact. As compared with the relatedart in which each mounting portion is combined with the longitudinalbeam 10 by welding, the longitudinal beam assembly in the embodiments ofthis application has a simpler manufacturing process, a shortermanufacturing time, and a lower manufacturing cost. In addition, in theintegrally formed longitudinal beam assembly manufactured, the firstsuspension mounting portion 101, the second suspension mounting portion202, and the shock absorber mounting portion 201 are not subject towelding errors, and their positions are more precise, which reduces thedifficulty of subsequent mounting of the suspension lower swing arm 30,the suspension upper swing arm 40, and the shock absorber 50 andimproves the mounting efficiency.

Persons skilled in the art can understand that, although some of theembodiments described herein include some features included in otherembodiments, combinations of features of different embodiments are meantto be within the scope of this application and form differentembodiments. For example, in the claims, any one of the claimedembodiments may be used in any combination.

In conclusion, the foregoing embodiments are merely intended fordescribing the technical solutions of this application, but not forlimiting this application. Although this application is described indetail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, persons of ordinaryskills in the art should understand that they may still makemodifications to the technical solutions described in the foregoingembodiments or make equivalent replacements to some technical featuresthereof, without departing from the spirit and scope of the technicalsolutions of the embodiments of this application.

What is claimed is:
 1. A longitudinal beam assembly, comprising: anintegrally formed longitudinal beam, provided with a first suspensionmounting portion, wherein the first suspension mounting portion isconfigured to mount a suspension lower swing arm; and a mounting towermounted on the longitudinal beam, wherein the mounting tower is providedwith a shock absorber mounting portion and a second suspension mountingportion, the shock absorber mounting portion being configured to mount ashock absorber and the second suspension mounting portion beingconfigured to mount a suspension upper swing arm.
 2. The longitudinalbeam assembly according to claim 1, wherein the mounting tower comprisesa top wall and two first support members, the shock absorber mountingportion is disposed on the top wall, and the two first support membersare disposed respectively on two sides of the top wall and connect thetop wall and the longitudinal beam.
 3. The longitudinal beam assemblyaccording to claim 2, wherein the two first support members aregradually moved away from each other in a direction from the top wall tothe longitudinal beam so as to form a triangular structure between thetwo first support members and the longitudinal beam.
 4. The longitudinalbeam assembly according to claim 2, wherein two suspension mount seatsprotrude downwards from the top wall, and the second suspension mountingportion is disposed between the suspension mount seats and the firstsupport member.
 5. The longitudinal beam assembly according to claim 4,wherein the second suspension mounting portion comprises two suspensionupper swing arm mounting sites, each of the suspension upper swing armmounting sites being disposed on one suspension mount seat and one firstsupport member.
 6. The longitudinal beam assembly according to claim 5,wherein the mounting tower further comprises two second support members,the two second support members being disposed between the top wall andthe longitudinal beam, and the two second support members being mountedbetween the two first support members.
 7. The longitudinal beam assemblyaccording to claim 6, wherein one of the suspension mount seats isconnected to one of the second support members.
 8. The longitudinal beamassembly according to claim 6, wherein one of the first support membersis provided with a reinforcing portion, and the second suspensionmounting portion is disposed between one of the suspension mount seatsand the reinforcing portion.
 9. The longitudinal beam assembly accordingto claim 6, wherein the mounting tower further comprises a reinforcingstructure having an X shape, and the reinforcing structure has fourattachment ends, two of the attachment ends being attached to the topwall and the other two of the attachment ends being attached to thelongitudinal beam.
 10. The longitudinal beam assembly according to claim9, wherein the two attachment ends attached to the top wall are attachedat intersections between the top wall and the second support members,and the two attachment ends attached to the longitudinal beam areattached at intersections between the longitudinal beam and the secondsupport members.
 11. The longitudinal beam assembly according to claim6, wherein the first support members and/or the second support membersare integrally formed with the top wall.
 12. The longitudinal beamassembly according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal beam is furtherprovided with a stabilizer bar mount seat for mounting a transversestabilizer bar.
 13. The longitudinal beam assembly according to claim 1,wherein the longitudinal beam is further provided with a motor mountseat for mounting a drive motor.
 14. An automobile chassis, comprising:the longitudinal beam assembly according to claim 1; a drive apparatusconfigured to provide a drive force for the automobile; and a batterycompartment comprising a battery compartment frame, wherein the batterycompartment frame is configured to accommodate a battery, the batterybeing used to provide power to the drive apparatus; wherein thelongitudinal beam assembly is detachably connected to the batterycompartment frame.
 15. The automobile chassis according to claim 14,wherein: the drive apparatus is mounted on the longitudinal beamassembly.